1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to neck support collars, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved neck support collar specifically adapted for use by football players. Football players are specially susceptible to crippling neck injuries. Specifically, fracture dislocations of the C5 and C6 vertebrae are extremely common. Such fracture dislocations frequently result in irreversible spinal cord injury. The problem has been aggravated by the use of extremely rigid protective helmets. While these helmets provide a large degree of protection against head injury, they frequently encourage individuals to utilize the helmet to deliver high impact blows. While the helmet protects the individual from head injury, the force of the blow is transmitted to the relatively unprotected neck vertebrae. In order to absorb and dissipate this impact force, the present invention provides an improved neck support collar.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of neck support collars are known in the prior art. A typical example of such a neck support collar is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,060,930, which issued to S. Grassl on Oct. 30, 1962. This patent discloses a neck support collar which includes a pair of elongated sponge rubber tubes covered by a flexible covering material. The collar has two interconnected sections for allowing adjustment of the width of the collar. The device utilizes cooperating buckle and strap fasteners for securement around the neck of an individual. As an alternative means of securement cooperating hook and loop fasteners such as VELCRO fasteners may be utilized. U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,474, which issued to J. Fox on June 22, 1976, discloses a neck support collar which is formed from plastic foam and includes a thin band of resilient plastic material biasing the foam into an annular shape. An outer covering of fabric material may be applied about the collar for purposes of cleanliness and enhancement of the appearance of the collar. U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,523, which issued to T. Lowrey on July 11, 1978, discloses a neck support collar for applying traction to the neck of a patient. The device includes a pair of relatively rigid hollow members telescopingly engaging each other. A bladder for the reception of air is disposed within the members. The bladder may be filled with fluid pressure in a controlled fashion to longitudInal separate the hollow members. The device provides a controlled amount of traction in an axial direction without a choking radial force component. U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,663, which issued to J. Newton on Nov. 11, 1980, discloses a neck support collar formed from a pad of resilient foam material with a scalloped depressed area at the middle of the inside surface of the collar for supporting the chin of an individual. Cooperating VELCRO fasteners are provided at opposite ends of the collar.
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none of these devices disclose a neck support collar which is formed from first and second groups of different diameter parallel adjacent flexible plastic tubes. Additionally, none of the aforesaid prior art neck support collars utilize a central section formed by a plurality of adjacent different diameter flexible plastic tubes in conjunction with an end support pad subdivided into a plurality of transversely extending support sections. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of neck support collars, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such neck support collars, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.